Vibrator



Jan. 11,1949. R. J. AusT 2,458,822

VIBRATOR Filed Feb. s, 1944 2 sheets-sheet 1 INVENTOR. ROBER TeX/1 U57' www? 624%.

A TTORNEY Jamin; 1949. R. J. AUST 2,458,822

VIBRATOR Filed Feb. 3 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet, 2

in* u Y "W l f 57- "g1 .V v 'i 516e/ INVENTOR.

54 l ROBERTJA usr Mamie@ Patented Jan. 1l, 1949 VIBRATOR Robert J. Aust, Indianapolis, Ind., assignor to l. R. Mallory & Co., Inc., Indianapolis, Ind., a

corporation of Delaware Application February 3, 1944, Serial No. 520,873

6 Claims. (Cl. 20o-90) The present invention relates to vibrators, and, more particularly, to a vibratory electromagnetic interrupter of novel and improved character.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a vibrator with substantially reduced overall dimensions without reducing the dimensions of any one of its essential cooperating elements.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a vibratory interrupter organization which represents a fundamentally novel departure from conventional design in that the armature and the contact system are arranged at opposite sides of the stack.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a novel and improved vibratory interrupter in which the major share of the total compliance is concentrated in the side springs carrying the relatively fixed contacts while a substantially rigid element is employed for transferring deilecting force from the driving means to the system of vibratory contacts.

It is also within the contemplation of the invention to provide a novel vibrator organization in which the driver electromagnet is located at the lowermost portion of the device in proximity1 to the base plate while the Contact system is located at the top portion of the device where it is freely accessible from all sides for the purpose of supervision and adjustment.

The invention also contemplates a vibratory electromagnetic interrupter which is extremely simple in its structure, is characterized by considerably reduced length, and which may be readily manufactured and sold on a practical and commercial scale at a low cost.

Other and further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings; in which Fig. 1 illustrates a side elevational view of a vibrator embodying the principles of the present invention;

Fig. 2 depicts a front elevation of the vibrator shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 shows an end view of the vibrator of the invention;

Fig. 4 is a rear elevation of the vibrator shown in Figs. 1 to 3;

Fig. 5 is a front elevational view of the vibratory structure employed in the preferred form of the present invention;

Fig. 6 is a similar view of the element of the vibratory structure bearing the vibratory contacts and the armature, or weight;

Fig. 'l is a section taken on line 1--1 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 8 is a plan view of the hinge plates and of the weight forming part of the vibratory structure; and

Fig. 9 is a longitudinal sectional view, having parts in elevation, of the vibrator of the invention installed Within a shield can and connected to contact prongs depending from a base plate.

While a preferred embodiment of the invention is described herein, it is contemplated that considerable variation may be made in the meth od of procedure and the construction of parts without departing from the spirit of the invention. In the following description and in the claims, parts will be identified by specific names for convenience, but they are intended to be as generic in their application to similar parts as the art will permit.

Referring now more particularly to Figs. 1 to 4 of the drawing, illustrating a preferred embodiment of the present invention, reference character I0 denotes a generally hook-shaped ferromagnetic frame member carrying a driver coil i I around the hook end thereof. The hook end of the frame member constitutes a pole piece I2 adapted to apply deflecting magnetic force to an armature or weight I3, forming part of the vibratory system, and may be constituted of a separate piece welded to the frame member at Illa. The mid-portion of the frame member (Fig. 4) is formed with lateral extensions I4 in which there are provided holes I5 for receiving and holding stack screws I6 pressed therein. An oblong opening Iilb punched in the frame member provides ready accessibility of the armature from the frame side.

Progressing from frame member I0, the stack comprises a full-length metal spacer I1 with apertures for both stack screws, a similar insulative spacer I8, a pair of side springs I9 and 20, two pairs of insulative spacers 2|, 22 and 23, 24, side springs 25 and 26, insulative spacer 21, metal spacer 28 and nuts 29. It will be noted that while the portions of the stack between frame I0 and side springs I9 and 20, and between nuts 29 and side springs 25 and 26 are formed with full-length spacers, spacers 2|, 22, 23 and 24, located between the two pairs of side springs, are subdivided into two identical portions and have such reduced length as to provide an opening 30 in the midportion of the stack, as this will be best observed in Fig. 3, and the object of which will presently appear. Side springs I9, 20, 25 and 26 carry relatively fixed contacts 3|, 32, 33 and 34 at their upper and free ends and are of a relatively compliant character.

to cooperate with relatively xed contacts 3|,` 32,

33 and 3d. The lower portion 42 of reed plate 35 is likewise rectangular or oblong in character but considerably smaller and has an armature plate or weight I3 welded thereto. The upper and lower portion of reed plate 35 are connected -by means of an elongated arm 44 of greatly reduced width integrally formed therewith.

The vibratory system is oscillatably supported in the stack by means of two hinge plates 43 made of light spring steel having two mounting holes 46 and 41 in their upper and lower portions, respectively and having their mid-portion weakened at 48. These hinge plates are secured between reed plate 35 and a transverse plate 50 by means of rivets 5| passed through holes 48 in the reed plate, holes 46 in the hinge plates and corresponding holes in the transverse plate. Holes 41 in the hinge plates serve for passing the stack screws I6 therethrough to clamp the vibratory structure in the stack between spacers 22 and 23. As it will be best observed in Figs. .1 and 2, in the assembled condition of the vibrator, vibratory element 3-5 is so supported in the stack by hinge plates |85 that vibratory contacts 38, 39, et and 4| cooperate with relatively xed contacts 3i, 32, 33 andy 36, respectively, while armature or weight i3 extends into cooperative relation with pole piece 2 of electromagnet il. Elongated arm t extends through the opening or space 30 established by the subdivided arrangement of the stack and is capable of transferring deflecting force from the armature to the vibratory contacts whereby during vibrations of the armature a plua rality of electrical circuits may be alternately opened and closed, including that of driver electromagnet Il.

From the foregoing description, the operation of the vibrator embodying the principles of the present invention will be readily understood by those skilled in the art. It is to be observed at the outset that the circuit organization of the vibrator is of conventional character and is of the type inwhich in the normal position of rest the driver coil is connected between a xed contact and the vibratory reed structure and is ener gized, thereby causing deflection of armature plate or weight of the armature is transferred to vibratory contacts 33, 39, 40 and 4| by means of arm 44 and will close two circuits and at the same time will I3. 'Ihis deecting displacement with the corresponding vibratory contacts controls the secondary circuit of the step-up transformer. Obviously, the vibrator is also readily adaptable for non-synchronous operation in which case the second pair of contacts may be connected in parallel with the ilrst pair for greater power handling capacity or may be altogether omitted.

It will be noted that the present invention provides a number of very important advantages. The principal advantage of the described vibrator organization is that of considerably reducing overall vibrator length and width, without reducing the working length of the reed structure and of the side springs. The major share of the total compliance of the system is in the side springs. while the reed structure is substantially stiH and acts as a lever transferring the vdefiectlng force from the armature to the vibratory contacts through the subdivided stack; The compliance for starting lpurposes is obtained by a exible hinge section which serves as pivot means between the reed weight and the reed contacts.

It is also to be observed that the vibrator of the present invention introduces fundamentally novel relative arrangement of the principal cooperating elements. While in conventional vibrators, almost invariably, the driver coil and the armature are at the top of the vibrator. the stack at the bottom of the vibrator and the system of contacts is at the mid-portion of the vibrator, in

also, short-circuit the driver coil. A typical cir vforegoing and illustrated in the accompanying drawings is of the synchronous orself-rectifying type in which one pair of the relatively xed contacts with the corresponding vibratory contacts controls the primary circuit of the step-up transformer while the other pair of the xed contacts the instant case the driver coil is at the bottom, the contact system is at the top, and the stack, which is of a special sub-divided character, is in between. This is an extremely satisfactory and convenient arrangement from the point of view of manufacture, assembly and maintenance. The contact system at the top portion of the vibrator is accessible from all sides for the purpose of adjustment, supervision and cleaning. The driver coil being the heaviest element of the vibrator, its location at the bottom thereof brings down the center of gravity close to the base plate in which the contact prongs are mounted. This assures a dynamically stable structure in which objectionable vibrations of the vibrator organization,and the production of noise are greatly reduced so that the problems of vibration and noise elimination are considerably simplified.

Substantial advantages are also obtained on compliantly mounting the vibrator embodying the invention into a shield can as this will be readily understood by referring to Fig. 9. The vibrator shown in this ligure is identical with the one illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4 and similar reference characters have been used to denote corresponding parts. Electrical connection with the vibrator is made by means of flexible insulated leads 5|n one end of which is soldered to soldering lugs 52 integrally formed with the side arms bear ing the relatively fixed contacts and the other end of which is soldered to contact prongs 53 inserted in and depending from insulative base plate 53.

A shield can 55 attached to base plate 5e covers,

the vibrator structure and provides protection from dust, electrical shielding and noise reduction. A felt disc 56 of appropriate thickness, such as about IA", is eyeleted to a contact cover 57 made of spring metal so as to'exibly position the top of the vibrator in thevcan. The contact cover is so dimensioned and constructed that lt will snap and lock on the top of the vibrator. engaging the upper terminal portions of the frame and the end of the stack screws, after the vibrator has been fully assembled and adjusted.

- therethrough and having the leads crossing over at the base plate.

While the present invention, as to its objects and advantages, has been described herein as carried out in specic embodiments thereof, it is not desired to be limited thereby but it is intended to cover the invention broadly within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. An electromagnetic vibratory interrupter which comprises in combination a frame, a coil at one end of said frame, a stack including insulative members of several lengths mounted on an intermediate portion of said frame on one side thereof, a vibratory reed structure having one of its ends clamped in said stack and bearing a plurality of vibratory contacts at its free end, a plurality of relatively compliant side springs clamped in said stack and bearing relatively fixed contacts adapted to cooperate with said vibratory contacts, a relatively rigid actuating lever having one of its ends secured to said reed structure at an upper region thereof and having its other end freely extending through an opening in said stack towards said coil, and an armature at the free end of said lever in the magnetic field of said coil.

2. An electromagnetic vibratory interrupter which comprises in combination a hook-shaped ferromagnetic frame, a magnetizing coil on the hooked end of said frame, a stack including insulative members of various lengths to form an opening through its mid-portion mounted in an intermediate region of said frame, a substantially rigid lever structure extending in both directions through said opening in the stack and bearing an armature at the end in proximity to said coil and vibratory contacts at its other end, resilient hinges clamped at the bottom portion thereof in said stack for supporting said lever structure, and relatively fixed contacts supported by side springs clamped in said stack adapted to cooperate with said vibratory contacts to control a plurality of electrical circuits.

3. An electromagnetic vibratory interrupter which comprises in combination a generally hook-shaped magnetizable frame, a magnetizing coil around the hook end of said frame; a stack including insulative members having at least two different longitudinal dimensions mounted in an intermediate region of said frame on one side thereof and having -lts mid-portion subdivided thereby defining a central opening therein, a substantially non-compliant lever rod extending through said opening inl both directions and constituting an armature at its end in proximity to the hook end of said frame and bearing a plurality of vibratory contacts at its other end. a pair of hinge plates clamped in said stack at each side of said opening for supporting said lever rod from the upper portion of said plates for vibratory movement, and relatively fixed contacts carried by compliant side springs clamped in said stack adapted to cooperate with 6 said vibratory contacts to control a plurality of electrical circuits.

4. An electromagnetic vibratory interrupter which comprises in combination a hook-shaped ferromagnetic frame, a magnetizing coil on the hook end of said frame, a stackhaving an opening through its mid-portion mounted in an intermediate region of said frame on one side thereof, a substantially rigid lever structure extending in both directions through said opening in the stack and bearing an armature at the end in proximity to said coil and vibratory contacts at its other end, resilient hinges clamped in said stack for supporting said lever structure from a top portion of each hinge, relatively fixed contacts supported by side springs clamped in said stack adapted to cooperate with said vibratory contacts to control a plurality of electrical circuits, and an opening in said frame in the region of said armature to make the armature portion of said lever structure accessible for supervision and adjustment,

5. An electromagnetic vibratory interrupter with a hook-shaped frame which comprises in combination a stack, a vibratory reed structure having one of its ends clamped in said stack and having vibratory contacts at its free end, stationary contacts supported in said stack and adapted to cooperate with said vibratory contacts, said stack including full-length insulative spacers and pairs of insulative spacers of reduced length constructed and arranged on one side of said frame to define an opening in the central region of said stack, an actuating lever having one of its ends secured to said reed structure and having its other end extending through said opening in the'stack, an armature on the free end of said actuating lever, and an electromagnet arranged in cooperating position with respect to said armature.

6. An electromagnetic vibratory interrupter which comprises in combination a frame, a driver coil supported by said frame, a pole piece therefor, a stack comprising a plurality of insulative spacers having different lengths carried by said frame on one side thereof, said spacers being constructed and arranged to define a central opening in said stack, a plurality of side springs, and a reed structure supported by said spacers, one end of said reed structure carrying movable contacts adapted for engagement with relatively stationary contacts carried by said side springs, the other end of said reed structure carrying an armature disposed adjacent said pole piece, and an intermediate portion of said-reed structure extending through the central opening in said stack.

ROBERT J. AUST.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the ille of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Coake Sept. 23, 1947 

